Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-10-07

seeing = strange look creeping into his
eyes.
"1Te? O. [ will get along nicely. fol
a fortnight, and then Iii run down and
bring you home. Bnt, perhaps trip
somewhere else would be more to Your
liking"
Hanover is fully as we'll as anywhere
else to visit" she replied, inwardly
wishing he had not proposed the trip
at all.
al right; get ready by Thursday,
and Ill see you Off. j am going to the
city Oil business then"
Something strange has come over
Minnie. l can't tell the reason, but
believe she is growing tired of ne. :"
he emphasized the last word under his
breath, and turned old Dolls head
away from the depot. He had kept up
cheerfully to the last, but his wife's
face haunted him. Calm and distant,
she babe him "good-by" in free and
easy manner, as he kissed her just be
fore the train started; and he noticed
she sighed as if relieved when he left
the coach. Dear Lord what should
he do if Minnie ceased to love him?
There was something wrong, he was
convinced, but it was Us yet painful
mystery to him.
This is the Sherwood residence,
said q friend to Minnie, as the twain
were passing fine brown stone man
sion, in an afternoon drive.
"Ihe family is away, 1 presumed"
questioned Minnie, noticing the absent,
shut-up air about the house and
grounds.
III should think they were away
with vengeance, answered the friend.
"Whv?" asked Mrs. Ainsworth
breathlessly, growing mystified.
Haven't you heard? No! Well
Pierce Sherwood is on trial for for
gerry and his wife has gone home to her
mothers"
"For forgery-Pierce Sherwood?"
ayes; he's over at Uadean trying
hard to disown his handwrite, but they
say it is all over with him. It's clear
case"
Minnie Ainsworth gasped, and
clutched her friends arm for support.
"Why, what ais you, Minnie? One
would believe you were Interested in
the scoundrel, by the way the news
disturbs you. Your face is white as the
dead!"
20, pshaw!" said Minnie, trying hard
to be merry-faced. cit isn't the news,
it is this dreadful weather that's affect
ing me; and I'm not used to the city,"
"Let us turn back then," and as
they drove slowly homeward, the
friend finished up the Sherwood for
gerry story, in detail, and added that he
had "run through with all his property,
and that the residence belonged to his
wife"
"NIrs. Ainsworth you are ill aren't
you?"
"No," persisted Minnie, "only tired
and suffering from slight headache. :"
well, I'm sorry" said her friend.
81 am afraid you will not be able to at
tend the reception tomorrow night at
Glenwood, though the evenings are
cooler"
ooh, don't anticipate disaster"
laughed Minnie, with an effort II
shall be as bright as new penny by
reception time
And she was; but she was not at the
reception. Her friend called for her
at an early hour, only to learn, to her
dismay, that Mrs. Ainsworth had sud
denly taken it into her head to go
home. And the friend went back to
her carriage imagining all sorts Of
things of Minnie's unaccountable be-
hayior; wondered to herself if her
white face of the day previous told
anything of the past. 1t couldn't be
that Minnie loved Sherwood yet?
calling to mind that he paid his ad-
dresses to her IN years gone by.
II should think she'd be only too
glad to find she was not tied to him now
at least, even if she did care for him
once, murmured the friend to herself
as she was driven to Glenwood alone.
And Minnie Ainsworth 1uas glad.
Tears of genuine happiness, and per-
haps little contrition as we'll, dimmed
the blue eyes as the stage drew up to
the pretty Ainsworth cottage at even
tide, and she saw John sitting among
the roses.
"Hello!' CALCULATED he, as the stage
stopped at the gate. II wonder who
why if it isn't Minnie" and he came
swiftly down the walk, baro-headed
and anxious.
"Why, Minnie, dear, is this You?
Are you i'll, or what made you shorten
your visit down to couple of days?'
"I-I was so homesick to see you,
john" Minnie answered, throwing her
arms around the delighted husbands
neck, and putting up her lips for
kiss